Coruscant Detective Stories 1-Nariyah
by mikorebz126
Summary: This story follows two Coco district homicide detectives, a Twi'Lek named Tao Fenn and a human named Nika Fello. It takes place 16 years after the Battle of Yavin during the early stages of the Black Fleet Crisis. the empire has been defeated and old resentments between human and alien are starting to bubble to the surface


**Coruscant Detective Stories #1-"Nariyah"**

**By: Michael Rayburn**

**Published October 2014**

**Words: 6,032**

**New Republic Era**

**Rating: T**

**This story is set in the Coco district of Coruscant during the very early stages of the Black Fleet Crisis.**

Tao Fenn stood watching the vid screen in the corner of the room. On a typical day, the noise volume in the homicide division of Coruscant Police: Coco District, Ward 6, was usually too high for the vidscreen to be anything but distracting images in your peripheral. But this morning was different. He was watching the highlights of last night's debate for the General Councilor position of Coco's District Council. This sort of thing wouldn't usually catch Tao's fancy but the wind had shifted in the New Republic, and he needed to see the weathervane in this instance. Since the defeat of Admiral Dala, the worlds of the New Republic were finally coming to the realization that the war was over. After so many years of having the Empire as an enemy, a lot of people didn't know where to direct their anger at past wrongs. And sadly, Tao thought, a lot of different species were starting to forget the bond that had tied them together. Even sadder for the Twi'Lek, a lot of aliens were conveniently forgetting the humans who had fought by their side to free them from the yoke of the speciest Empire. Tao was getting a glimpse of that selective amnesia by watching this debate between a female Togruta named Kamilla Quan, and a Niktoid named Kre Kahon. The horn faced Niktoid was in full rant by the time Tao quited his fellow detectives around him.

"How many of you saw the daughter of Vader standing chin up on her perch in the aptly named Imperial Palace, overseeing the launch of her new pacifying force in the 5th Fleet?" he sneered to a chorus of cheers and shouts of "overthrow". For her part, the barrister turned politician looked genuinely troubled. "I don't want to dignify that with a rebuttal-" she said to the moderator "then you concede that I'm right" Kahon cut in, jutting out his chest in mock victory.

"-had you let me finish Mr. Kahon, I was saying that even though I do not want to address your salacious charges, I feel I have to. To answer your charge, I say no. No, I don't believe that Princess Leia Organa has suddenly become what she spent her entire life fighting. The 5th fleet is a defensive force, not an offensive force. If she had sent the fleet to expand the New Republic instead of patrolling the border of New Republic space, do you truly believe that such a thing could be hidden in this day and age?" Now turning from her opponent, back to the audience she continued "yes. Humans were responsible for terrible crimes against sentients everywhere; Camassi, Kashyyk, New Plympto, but to remember these crimes and forget Alderran, or Callos, or the dozens of human planets eradicated, is to forget our shared struggle. To give in to Mr. Kahon's baser desire for vengeance is to do to all humans what _some _humans did to us". Tao shook his head at the scant smattering of applause that the impassioned plea received. If he had begun to lose faith in society Kahon's response only hastened things. "Easy for you to say, since you could pass for one of them with a little makeup" he said with obvious disgust.

"ahh yes. Now we get to the heart of the matter. Mr. Kahon simply needs something to hate. The Empire sated his thirst while it existed, but now that it has finally been defeated by our alien-human coalition, he needs a new enemy to occupy his thoughts and give his life meaning. But don't worry, there is a limitless supply of targets for people like him. Once they have subjected…or eradicated humanity, it will be those who look like humans; the Twi'Leks, the Zeltrons, or the Chiss. When they are gone it could be Rodians, or whomever fills that empty void in your life si-" the vidscreen went black and Tao could only see his partners face over his shoulder in the reflection.

"why'd you do that?" he said to his human partner, Nika Fello.

"Because you would've stood there all day if I hadn't. Plus we gotta case…you didn't even hear me say that from across the room did you?" the dark skinned human said. Tao thought about lying and saying he had and was just waiting for him to get his things together but what was the point? So he just shook his head.

"You need help friend" Nikka said to him while giving him a friendly slap on the back. Looking back at the blank screen Tao could only mutter "I'm not the only one."

Tao looked out the window of their unmarked black speeder. Looking out at the sun rising over the vast cityscape never failed to move Tao. He moved here from Ryloth ten years earlier on a New Republic higher education program for aliens. Aliens who had been prohibited from all but the worst education institutions under the Empire. Tao remembered the feeling he had arriving to the halls of First Galactic University, a multi-billion cred institution he was going to for free. Ryloth hadn't been on the verge of revolt, no alien world had. Everyone was just so happy to rid of Palpatine they couldn't think of new enemies. No, Tao thought at the time, they didn't initiate this program to placate the aliens, they did it because it was the right thing to do. Tao loved the New Republic. He loved what it stood for and how it was forged and the thought of bitterness and infighting tearing it asunder worried him greatly. "Hey buddy" Nika said loudly and Tao snapped his attention to his partner of four years "I said did you catch that Bolo-Ball match last night between Coruscant and Coronet?"

"A little of the first half" he answered meekly knowing what would follow

"A little of the 1st half? What else was on?-don't say it, let me guess, Holonet News Service right?" he didn't need Tao to answer "you got to relax Tao. You of all people know how history works, short periods of conflict followed by long periods of peace. You and me were just blessed enough to be young men entering a new golden age of peace" he said with a hand flourish as he banked the speeder to the awaiting crime scene being marked off by CSP patrol droids and crime scene techs. Tao flashed his friend an obligatory smile "yeah that's more of an overall pattern and less of a rule". He said as he opened his door to get out into the morning dimmed by the lower level they found themselves at.

Tao walked through the holographic crime scene barrier to the sounds of "Detective Fenn, Det. Fello" from the security droid. The droid and his partner would now keep back the rapidly filling gawker gallery as it was known.

"Hey Gib what do you got for me" he asked the Sullustan crime scene tech squatting over an indistinguishable body.

"One of yours actually" he said moving to the side so Tao could see a young green-skinned Twi'Lek.

"oh you mean a sentient being?" he asked sarcastically

"nnooo…I mean a Twi'lek" Gib answered with a mixture of confusion and amusement "what's with him" he said looking over Tao's shoulder but hooking a short thumb at Tao. "Don't ask Gib" Nika said from behind him.

"alright well. As I was saying, she's a Twi'lek, maybe 20 standard years, cause of death was strangulation, but not before she was beat to within an inch of her life. She would've died even if the perp didn't feel the need to strangle her. Oh and judging by her dress I would check the dancing clubs" he held up his hands defensively "I know, I know that's your job". Tao took one last look at the young half naked Twi'lek still covered in the noxious refuse of Coruscant sanitation, and found he couldn't look away as the surreal scene brought back that day on Ryloth when Tao's younger sister Tenea was dumped on their stoop, beaten to death, by her husband. The Rylothian government's refusal to prosecute and the subsequent intervention by the local New Republic Judicial rep, who did succeed in procuring a conviction, was the driving force behind Tao's move to Coruscant…and his refusal to return to Ryloth since leaving. Even had she not looked vaguely like Tenea, it did hurt a little more looking at a fellow Twi'lek, especially a female who had undoubtedly been treated like garbage for a lifetime before being dumped into it. Even though Ryloth's extreme patriarchal culture and his father's insistence that Tenea was to blame for her death, had brought him to the core, he was still unprepared at the level of liberation females of all races were granted here. It took almost the full six years studying criminology at First Galactic for the indoctrination of his upbringing to completely dissipate. Eventually it dissipated enough that he was able to talk to, and fall in love with one of these liberated females, a human no less. He and Falynn were married two years later and had wasted no time in adopting two children. Like most interspecies marriages who couldn't procreate they had adopted an orphaned child from each species, a human son named Alek and a Twi'Lek daughter named Kila, eight and six now respectively and a source of limitless joy, and grief, for he and his wife. Tao had thought of naming her Tenea but in the end he just couldn't take a daily reminder of his little sister. He stood up and turned to his partner already lighting up one his putrid cigarras.

"So you want to take Gibby's advice?" he asked quizzically, exhaling the smoke out of the corner of his mouth. "There's the Prancing Nexu off 128 and the Hidden Pearl off 126"

"let's go" Tao answered stuffing his hands into his leather jacket. "no, no, no…we're walking".

"what? That's at least a mile away" he said with a sarcastic pout.

"well I like to walk in the morning and I'm not getting in the speeder with that smoke" he answered walking ahead, knowing Nika would be close on his heels. They arrived at the Hidden Pearl first, like most clubs in the capital it didn't close. Different races slept, partied, and went looking for companionship at different times of the day, and on a planet like Coruscant with its number of species, there was really no good time to close for even a few hours. Tao gazed up at the neon lights and the repeating holo-image of a scantily-clad Twi'lek whipping around a pole. Twi'lek women sat at the intersection of numerous races ideal of sexual allure. They were attractive to every species from Human to Nautolan. Only insectoids and amphibians seemed immune to their appeal. Tao shook his head slightly as Nika flashed his I.D. to the door man, a giant Trandoshan who looked absolutely non-plussed about letting the detectives in. As they entered Tao's eyes had to quickly refocus and adjust to the darkness. When his eyes did he wished they hadn't. The club had large sunken floor with eight circular stages, girls were transported down from the ceiling above in gold cylindrical cages where they would dance for twenty minute stints before scooping up the creds off the stage floor and riding back up in their "protective" cage. On each side of the stage floor were bars or holo-game screens. When the girls weren't dancing on stage they were walking around trying to entice the wealthier customers to accompany them upstairs, and it was one of these girls, a young human, that Tao grabbed, "hey there baby, you looking for some fun?" she said with her well-practiced pouty eyes.

"I'm actually looking for some answers" he said flashing his CSP ID. She quickly retracted her hands from his jacket front.

"Oh stang" she said turning quickly to walk away before Nika grabbed her arm. She tried to wrench away saying "look I don't have time for this, I got kids to feed and clothe and that means I need to work not play Mother Leia". Some sympathy churned in Tao's gut for the young woman and he held up a twenty cred chit "two minutes" he said, before she reluctantly took it and pointed to a small table with four cushioned chairs. As they all sat down she said "OK what's up?"

"Do you know this girl?" he said flashing the holo-image of the strangled Twi'lek. She put a hand to her mouth and her eyes immediately glassed over, but still she said "no, sorry. Never seen her…can I go now?" she said standing up. Tao reached out and grabbed her hand pulling her to him to sit on his lap. "I'm not trying to jam you up, and I'm not asking for her history or who she's argued with over the past month. I'm asking for her name and where she worked. We'll do the rest". She looked around either thinking or looking for possible trouble. "This girl meant something to you. Mean something to her". She stood up and Tao had honestly thought he lost her after she took two steps away, but then she turned and said "Nariyah, Prancing Nexu. The owners of our establishments are…friends".

"Thank you" Tao said as he and Nika stood. "She was a sweet girl. I'm sorry I can't help more". With that she turned and walked to the other side of the floor, and began to hit on a group of Zabraks at the bar.

The Prancing Nexu was the seedier of the two showgirl bars in the neighborhood, and it lived up to its reputation as Tao and Nika approached the front of the club bathed in tacky neon and littered with refuse. The club had a worse reputation as a buyer of smuggled slaves, however the vice unit had not yet been able to make anything stick. Instead of going in as detectives, they both agreed they would get further as customers with credits to burn. They had requisitioned 3,000 credits from the department treasury, which they would have to recoup after an arrest or have their paychecks garnished for the next few months. In their nicest outfits, usually reserved for galactic policing conferences, they entered the Prancing Nexu. This was really Nika's forte, acting like a debaucheries letch, because cop or not that's pretty much what he was, on his off nights anyway. Nika was committed to cleaning the streets of Coruscant but that didn't mean he was a straight arrow. In fact he had such a hard time busting illegal gambling dens and spice runners with Vice he had petitioned numerous times for a transfer to homicide, which was by far the less glamorous of the two departments. Entering the Nexu, Nika entered his atmosphere arms outstretched and cigarra hanging out of his mouth. For his part, Tao was playing his straightlaced potential investor, because minus the investor part, that's what he was. He had married his human wife right out of university, and they had adopted their children with two years of the ceremony. While Tao wasn't averse to the occasional ale he usually called it a night around the time Nika was really just getting started. They were an odd pair, but it was usually opposites that made the best detective partnerships, but it wasn't usually opposites that made such good friends, and Tao had genuine affection for his partner.

"Oh I'm coming back for you darling" Nika blew a kiss to the Iridorian dancer as they approached the bar and Nika ordered a bottle of the finest sparkling wine from Esseles and made sure to flash his stack of credits. The girls that chose to work in the dancing bars were true capitalists. This was a profession, and they were in it to make money. Most would easily walk by a broke underwear model to sit on the lap of a rich Hutt. Nika's charming personality would only take us so far, it was the money that was going to get us the answers we needed. Walking away from the bar Tao saw a tall human in what looked like the robes and tunic of a Jedi. He stood there stunned for a second but then realized when he a slapped a female Devaronian patron on the butt that he was one of the male dancers at the bar. All the dancers did individual full stage acts usually dressed as some figure from culture; fighter pilots, commandos, pod racers, even uniformed cops, but Jedi was one of the most popular. The warrior mystics were usually beautiful, and always mysterious, a ready-made combination for desire . Before they could get comfortable for the next show they were joined by two dancers, undoubtedly told by the bartender that they had credits to burn. Nika grabbed the Twi'lek woman by the wrist and pulled her down to his lap giggling, the human woman standing next to Tao took the initiative and plopped down in Tao's lap. Tao was wholly uncomfortable but couldn't let that show. The conversation had to evolve naturally. They couldn't just start blurting out questions about Nariyah. So drinks were poured and laughs were shared and current events were discussed. Finally Nika realized the queue when his café was set down on the table. He stopped necking with Eleena long enough to look across at Tao who raised his own mug "drink my friend, we still have business to wrap up today"

"ahhh you're leaving us?" this from a suddenly pouty faced Kaleen on his lap.

"only for a bit love. We'll be back later tonight. Isn't that right Tao?" Tao didn't answer on purpose and just continued staring at the floor "you'll have to excuse him ladies, he' still pining for his fellow Rylothian he met the last time we were here".

"oh you wound me" Kaleen said mocking a shot to the heart "well bring another handsome man and I'll see what I can do about finding this lost love of yours" Tao looked up hopefully "we'll bring Gib from accounting" he said snapping and pointing at Nika

"oh whose Gib? He sounds cute" Kaleen answered.

"well if you're looking for cute than Gib may not be your guy, he's a Zabraki about six and half feet tall, used to play smashball at university before he injured his leg" the girls' eyes widened with each feature and Tao had to restrain a smile at their well-practiced technique.

"you're right, cute's not the word. Well you two take care of business and come back and find us, we'll be here till midnight" kaleen said as she stood up and signaled for Eleena to follow "now what's your sweetheart's name and I'll tell you if she's still working here?"

"Nariyah" Tao said then watched, but it wouldn't take a sabacc player to see that reaction, fear. "I'm sorry handsome man but Nariyah quit a few weeks ago" she said and leaned in to kiss his cheek "how can that be I just saw her a week ago" Nika said. She looked at him, the fear in her eyes growing "no..you couldn't have, she..she quit" Eleena placed a hand on Kaleen's shoulder "c'mon Kaleen we got to get back to work, we'll see ya boys". Kaleen made a move to stand up from in front of Tao but he grabbed her wrist "hey I told you she doesn't work here!" Eleena started to go for security but Nika met her and put an arm around her shoulder "don't think about it. Now let's try this again. We're Coruscant Homicide but we're good friends with Coruscant Vice, make a move to alert anyone here and you'll have the entire gang down here going through each of your lockers." Nika said moving Eleena back to the couches. Tao kept his hand on kaleen's wrist and pulled her back down into his lap "you guyd are cops? Some job you have."

"it has it's bright spots" Nika said lighting another cigarra.

"Now. Nariya. What do you know?"

"I-"

"-and don't tell me nothing or I'll bring you both in for obstruction. Our hunches are given a llot of latitude. You'll beat the charge after you spend a night off the grid".

"fine…she-"

"-smile and talk"

She did and the large Feeorin bouncer walked by. "alright she was supposed to work today she hasn't come in."

"yeah, missing a shift in this business doesn't warrant the reaction you showed me. Keep going".

"what you want me to just make some stuff up?"

"keep your voice down. Nika show her". His partner finished a cylindrical holo device from his jacket pocket and turned it on. A three by six inch holo of half-naked and beaten Nariyah appeared before them and Eleena immediately started to weep as kaleen covered her mouth. "this is your co-worker and friend I take it. We found her this morning. That stuff partially covering her face? Those are noodles from somebody's tossed out dinner. You think she deserves this?" both girls shook their head but couldn't speak yet, so Tao gave them a moment. Finally it was Kaleen who composed herself first and took a deep breath. She was arguing with Tyrol, he's one of the owners. She hadn't been making lately. Sometimes doing just one dance a night. Normally she would just get fired but she, well see she-

"-a slave?" Nika said.

"yes. She was bought by Tyrol a few months ago, abouth six months after Eleena".

"Kaleen!" she hissed. "what is it Eleena? What are you afraid of?" Tao asked.

"I don't want to go back. I want to stay here."

"who told you you would be sent back?" he asked a little indignant. But she just shook her head.

"an immigration officer named Zek whose friends with the owner. They tell all the bought girls that. It didn't sound right to me but Zek's not the only official that's come in here saying that".

"so what does Tyrol do when you're short?"

"to me? Nothing. To Eleena and Nariya they usually have meals taken away, bed taken away, but with Nariya I think her punishment was more sexual". Tao's stomach turned at the revelation but they just about had everything they needed "Eleena, no matter what happens with nariya's case I'm bringing some detectives from Vice back here and I want you to tell them everything about your enslavement". She already started shaking her head and Tao crouched down and grabbed her hands "look at me Eleena…Eleena!" she looked up from the floor, "I promise that everything you were told was an elaborate lie by some corrupt officials who will have their day in the Judiciary as well. You will be freed and you will be given a fast tracked citizenship hearing under the New Republic's enslavement survivor Act. You can go anywhere you want, Corellia, Esseles, or you can stay right here and keep working with Kaleen, only everything you make will be yours and you can get an apartment wherever you want…maybe even 500 Republica, doesn't that sound good?" he said illiciting her first smile as she nodded. He stood and Nika was already asking Kaleen "where's Tyrol now?"

"honestly he should've been her by-oh wait…there he is" she said as she pointed past Tao towards the front entrance, a move he would have to hope the suspect didn't notice. Turning around slowly Tao could see that thought was hopeless as the middle aged human had stopped in his tracks by the Feeorin doorman. There was no sense playing this any way other than straight and Tao could see that confirmed in his partner's eyes as they began striding towards the suspicious owner. As they closed Tao could see some sort of abrasion under his collar that had been so done up with makeup that the discoloration is really what drew Tao's eyes to it.

"can I help you gentlemen?" he asked trying to remain cool but failing.

"you can. I'm Tao Fenn and this Nika Falo of CSP Homicide" he said as both he and Nika removed their holobadges from the jacket pocket, "we'd like you to come down to the precinct with us and answer some routine questions about a missing employee. Apparently her roommate called us when she didn't come home last night" Tao said hoping the lie would put him at ease that one of his fellow slaves was wondering why Nariya didn't come back to her cage last night.

"sure thing. Let me just cancel and appointment." He said as he brought up his datapad and tapped out a few commands. In an instant Tao knew he had not bought the routing missing persons act as the entire club was suddenly bathed in darkness and Nika let out a curse "you alright?"

"yeah, fine. He just threw his datapad at me" he yelled.

"look alive!" Tao yelled as he pulled on his night vision goggles, a must for all Twi'leks leaving the bright sunlit homeworld of Ryloth, as blaster fire erupted from the bar area and front entrance. Both Tao and Nika launched themselves over the couch they had been drinking at minutes before and drew their blasters.

"I'll draw their fire. You roll left and try and flank the-" Nika was cut off by a gurgled yell and the blaster fire from the front door stopped. Tao peered over the back of the couch and saw the Nikto bodyguard leaning on the bar and trying weakly to grasp at the large kitchen blade hilt rising from between his shoulder blades. Tao followed the hilt to a small Twi'lek girl in a dancers outfit standing behind the giant horned alien with a look of grim satisfaction. Suddenly the glasses behind her head started to shatter and she hit the deck just as the Feeorin drew a bead on her from the front. The shock of what happened quickly subsided and both Tao and Nika rolled and sat up into a crouched shooting stance and let out a volley of blue blaster bolts to the alcove at the front. Stopping only after half a power pack had been used up they waited, the last bits of shattered glass falling to the floor over the muffled cries of patrons and employees. After another moment Tao looked at his partner "circle left" he whispered. They both rose up from behind the couch and cautiously made their way to the front, only to find the large Feeorin sprawled across the marble foyer with at least three cauterized holes in his upper torso and neck.

"Lights!" Nika yelled but nobody stirred. Finally he walked over to the bar and checked the Nikto's pulse which was faint. Leaning over the bar he saw the Twi'lek who had stabbed him still protecting her face from the fallen glass and the male human bartender huddled next to her, seemingly comforting her. "you! What's your name?" he pointed to himself before answering a moment later "Kainen"

"alright Kainen I need you to get the lights back on and tell me what type of speeder the owner usually drives"

"uh-uh-"

"hurry kid!"

"-it's a Valorian X-30, dark blue…the top's usually down."

"good. Now I need you to get the lights back on and wait for the medics and uniformed officers. You got that?"

"y-yes sir" he said standing up and moving nervously to the control panel. The lights flickered to life over a partially destroyed club, but Tao and Nika had no time to check damages as they pushed their way out into the crisp Coruscant night and made for their speeder.

Thirty minutes later they were in the restricted skylane near the Coco dance club district. "Speeder 18, what was the make of that speeder again?" came the familiar voice of the dispatcher over Tao's com. Nika mimicked eating his own blaster illiciting a quick laugh from Tao before he answered again "dark blue Valorian x-30 dispatch" burying his chin into his chest as he let go of the com "Ok then we got it speeder 18" he said excitedly and Tao jumped up in his seat

"where dispatch?"

"bird 3 has a dark blue x-30 coming slowly out of Chancellor Valorum tunnel…ok now he says he's spotted bird 3" Tao pounded the comm against his forehead, a little too hard even for his thicker than normal skull. "where's he going dispatch?" he asked exhaustedly

"down to level 18, heading east towards the old Jedi Temple. This is an all speeders bulletin: suspect vehicle is on level 18 heading east towards the old Jedi Temple and the governmental district. All speeders converge on location." Before dispatch had finished Nika had lit up the blue and green siren and pulled a hard 180 heading back to the temple.

"ask dispatch if old Skywalker is pulling a midnight training shift and wants to step outside and pull this nerfherder's speeder out of the sky for us" Nika asked his partner with a slap to the stomach

"how about I commthe Princess and ask her to step out on to her top story balcony and just turn him into a sanitation bin?" he bantered back

"even better partner, no flimsiwork" he laughed

"just drive governor, I want to wrap this up and catch Leila before she can act like she's sleeping when I get home" he said with a wink

"stang, where are the boosters on this heap?"

About three minutes later they had descended to level 19 and were in sight of the temple, the last report said he had gone up a level but as still headed east. Tao had ordered the birds to hang back a bit and they took up a position just off the 19 skylane and doused their lights. Dangerous with all the intoxicated flyers that would be out tonight, but necessary if they wanted to end this. A minute later Nika sat up "got him" he said and pointed out the windscreen. Tao focused through his night enhancing glasses and saw a par of headlights weaving through traffic towards them.

"all speeders, this is speeder 30, got eyes on target coming to the Winza Exchange" Tao said into the comm and gave Nika the thumbs up to light it up. As soon as he did the speeder dove down through lanes 18 and 17. Tao held on to the overhead grip as Nika followed. Half a minute later three more marked speeders flew through their ion trail headed down.

"guy doesn't know it but he's doing us a favor" Nika said and Tao bulged an eye at him "think about it, the lower he is when he wrecks the less of an ass chewing we get about endangering proper civilians" he finished as he weaved around lane 16. Tao cringed and didn't say anything but he knew his partner was right. That was just the way of society, some citizens mattered more than others. They leveled out on 15 and Tyrol jumped into the oncoming lane. Nika made a move to follow but Tao grabbed his arm "no need. That ain't gonna last" he said and pointed with his chin as a moment later the x-30 clipped an oncoming sky bus and spun into an alley behind a low income res-block. Nika whipped the speeder over the oncoming traffic and brought it to a rest near the gawking bystanders at the entrance to the alley. Tao hit the ground running, pulling his blaster and motioning for the crowd to get back as he hugged the wall on one side of the darkened alley, a moment later Nika had taken cover on the other side and Tao put up a waiting hand "Tyrol! If you got a weapon throw it out into the light!" he yelled. He expected the weapon or some kind of statement of defiance but got neither, so he repeated his command. This time he got an answer but it wasn't either of the ones he expected "he can't hear you!...I think he's dead!" yelled someone from the darkness of the alley.

"who are you!?" yelled Tao. The answer took a moment as if it was a good question

"uhh Jan" Tao looked to Nika who shrugged

"alright Jan we're coming back, if you got a weapon we need you to drop it. You understand?" he said peeking around the corner

"no weapon officer, but I got a bottle of brandy..s'that okay?"

Nika shook his head and mouthed "wino" as they turned into the alley blaster in one hand and glow stick in the other. They saw Jan, an old human who looked like his life hadn't turned out exactly the way he imagined, standing next to a badly wrecked x-30. It had taken minimal damage going into the alley, btu had managed to find one of two oversized sanitation bins that waited in the alley to be collected by the droids. Nika made it to the driver's side of the speeder. The window had been busted out with the impact and Tyrol was slumped against the steering yoke. Nika reached in and checked for a pulse. After a moment he looked up and said "no ass chewing and less flimsiwork, this guy's dead".

Two hours later Tao was walking into his modest apartment, the best a detective could afford for a family of four in the Koola neighborhood of Coco, the lights were dimmed but flashing light could be seen coming from the leisure room. Tao slipped his door card back in his credit pouch and placed it into the empty Muja fruit bowl next to the door, next off came his boots before he peeked around the cheap duraplast divider that separated the small family kitchen from the small leisure room, Space was a commodity on Coruscant he reminded himself, and saw his wife on the couch with replays of the council debate Tao was watching earlier flashing across the vidscreen. He knew without looking that she was sound asleep. Her nightly ritual for nights he worked late. Tao hovered over his wife for a minute just watching her sleep before he bent down to scoop her up in his arms. She woke as he lifted her off the couch and gave him a sleepy smile before resting her head on his chest. Tao hit the wall control as he passed it turning off the vidscreen and made his way down the hallway. He peeked into the kids room and saw them sleeping soundly, all was right in the galaxy he thought as he nudged open the bedroom door and laid his wife down in bed.

**Epilogue**

It wasn't the comm's ring, or it's vibration on the nightstand that woke Tao up, but the comm falling off the nightstand that snapped him out of his slumber. He picked up the still buzzing device and checked the chrono, 4:30, two hours before he had to be in. He walked to the bathroom and slid the door shut behind him "this is Fenn" he half whispered.

"Tao…we're you up?" asked the Chief of detectives, Zoila Tagrussie.

"not a chance" he answered with a chuckle that his boss didn't return, something big then

"I need you to get a hold of your partner and get in here, a case just came across my desk"

"isn't that night shifts case then?" he asked honestly

"supposed to be but I need my best"

"why? Who got clipped?"

"Kamilla Quan, a barrister ru-"

"-I know who she is chief, I'll be right there" Tao answered and put down the comm. He slid open the door and looked in on Fay, this time she was awake "work?"

"yeah I gotta go in early" he answered already slipping on a pair of trousers, "somebody just killed the nice Togruta running on a species unity platfo-"

"-I know who she is Tao…go get them".


End file.
